Pluto in Google Earth

Simple Steps

Alternatively you can right-click HERE and choose "Save link as ..." to download the file. Launch the Google Earth Application and Open the KMZ File in Google Earth.

A Google Earth overlay of New Horizons' Latest Map of Pluto.

Users of Google Earth can now explore NASA's New Horizons' latest map of Pluto.

The file linked here can be downloaded and opened with Google Earth, and provides an image overlay showing the latest map of Pluto. Since the image is overlaid on the Earth, sizes, distances, time of day, and axial tilt will not be correct for Pluto - as such, this map is not suitable for quantitative analysis.

The map was last updated on July 7th, with New Horizons still on approach to Pluto. A high-resolution black-and-white map was created with LORRI images, and it was overlain with a lower-resolution color map created with Ralph data. These maps will both rapidly improve as new data is returned by New Horizons. The map will automatically update when new, improved maps of Pluto become available from the mission.

In order to use this map, it is best to turn off "Terrain" rendering - if left on, it can interfere with the map overlay.